An open oval window in the heart of a child is a problem that is quite common in modern pediatrics. But what actually constitutes such a violation and how dangerous is it for health?
What is an open oval window in a child?
During intrauterine development, the child’s body receives oxygen only from the mother’s blood. Moreover, between the two atria there is this very oval window, due to which the cells of the central nervous system receive the maximum amount of blood saturated with oxygen and nutrients. Immediately after birth, the edges of the oval window fuse together. In most children, its closure occurs in the first days of life. In approximately 30% of infants, the oval window remains at least partially open for up to a year. But sometimes this hole between the atria does not close - in this case, the baby needs qualified help.
An open oval window in the heart of a child and its causes
Unfortunately, the causes of such a pathology are not always clear - and to this day, active research is underway on this issue. Nevertheless, it is proved that such a violation is associated with the presence of other pathologies. The risk is increased if a woman abuses alcohol and tobacco during pregnancy.
An open oval window in the heart of a child: the main symptoms
In fact, the presence of an open hole in the heart in most cases does not cause any visible symptoms. Quite often, pathology is discovered quite by accident during an ultrasound examination of the circulatory system. Nevertheless, there are a number of signs that are still worth paying attention to:
- For example, quite often during a scream, cry or physical exertion, you can notice a blue skin in the nasolabial triangle.
- Often, an open oval window in children leads to a slowdown in normal physical development.
- Symptoms can also include frequent colds and respiratory diseases.
- As the child grows, parents notice that the baby is almost not capable of physical activity, for example, respiratory failure may develop during an active game.
- Children with this diagnosis can often lose consciousness due to circulatory failure in the brain.
An open oval window in the heart of a child: diagnosis and treatment
If there are disturbing symptoms, you should show the baby to the doctor and tell him about all the suspicions. As a rule, in order to confirm the diagnosis, it is enough to do an ultrasound examination of the heart. After the pathology has been detected, the child should constantly be under the supervision of a cardiologist and undergo regular studies. As a rule, experts recommend that parents wait with radical treatment measures, since in most cases the oval window closes by itself. In addition, statistics say that in almost 25% of the adult population, the oval window never closed completely. Only in especially severe cases, if the pathology poses a threat to the life of the child, does the doctor prescribe a surgical operation during which the hole is closed artificially.